Coaster-diving apparatus.



J. F. BURKE.

COASTER DIVING APPARATUS. APPLICATIONTILED Nov. 4. |916.

abbozmlg Patented June 19, 1917.

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COASTER-DIVING APPARATUS Specification of LettersPatent. y f Patentgd June 19, 19171 Application led November 4, 1916. j Serial No. 129,424.

To @ZZ whom 25 may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. BURKE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Coaster-Diving Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of devices used at bathing resorts and amusement parks to furnish healthful recreation to men, women and children.

The object of my invention is to supply safe means whereby men, women or children may obtain pleasure by coasting down an inclined railway in a suitable car, receive a pleasant shower bath of water, @n route,

followed by a divethrough the air into water or other safe landing place.

More specifically considering the invention, I provide an inclined railway terminating abruptly, a car, traversing the same, equipped with suitable means for engaging a buffer located at the lower termination of the inclined railway, and means beneath the lower termination of the railway for safely receiving passengers projected or inp voluntarily diving from the car. My invention further consists in providing, an automatic switch at the lower termination of the railway whereby the car, impell'ed by the compressed spring action of the buer is `re-V turned over a second or return track to a starting platform, and thence raised to the inafter and more particularly defined in the claims. j

For the purpose of illustrating my invenf tion, I have shown in the accompanying drawings the form thereof which is at pres-l ent preferred by me, since the same is in form to give satisfactory and reliable results, but it is to be understood that the several instrumentalities, of which my invention consists, can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention iS not limited to the precise arrangement and organ# ization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.`

Referring to the drawings:-Figure l represents an elevation ofthe inclined railway embodying my invention; Fig.- 2 is a plan view of the car and lower portion of the track; and Fig. Sis an elevation of the car. I provide an inclined or gravity railway track A of any desirable'incline, with or 'without undulations, the construction `of which may follow ordinary commercial practice, having two rails and suitable means (not shown) to prevent the car from jumping the track.- This track at its terminal part ends abruptly and is suitably provided with a strong spring buffer C to receive the impact of the cars. Beyond the end of the track is an expanse of water D such as a riveror ocean front; and as it is desirable that this water shall be reasonably deep, I prefer to provide a suitable net D to receive the occupants of the car when projected therefrom into the water. Thet'erminal end of the track is provided with a return track F and automatic switch E, preferably spring actuated for returning the cars to aposition for receiving another load of passengers. As shown, the return track VF inclines backward and downward to a receiving platform Gr so that the returningempty cars are automatically returned by gravity after being started on the return trip under 4the impelling action of the buffer C. AProm the receiving platform Gr, the vcars with their passengers are pulled up the incline track I-I by cable I-I` to the highest point I in the gravity railway A and from where the loaded cars arepstarted on their journey. The

` details of this track construction and cable will need no further description, Y as they will follow ordinary well known constructive practice. y j Y Y l The car B is of simple-construction and built with as low. a center of gravity as possible. Along the length of itsplatformB are arranged two 'upright guide boards J, J, preferably curved outward or apart at their forward ends J. Eachside of the platform of the car toward the rear is also provided with an vupright board K. This construction provides three longitudinal spaces in which the passengers may lie in prostrate position, the one in the middle space with head forward, and those in the side spaces with feet forward.

The rear of the platform is provided with a transverse upright board L abutting the longitudinal boards J and K, and is provided with padded portions M against which the passengers may rest. Furthermore, the upper edges of the longitudinal boards J and K near the middle of the length of the car may be provided with handles N projecting in a forward direction so that the passenger may hold himself against the action of inertia when the car is speeding down the railway, but which will permit the hands to slip off forward when the passengers are projected from the car when it collides with the buffer C.

The under portion of the car body is provided with a downwardly extending buffer contact O which may be of metal or wood; and said contact is so positioned that at the termination of the journey it abruptly strikes the spring buffer C and brings the car to an. abrupt stop, though not too violently. The stop should be with sufficient force to project or catapult the persons from the car platform into the water.

The platform and longitudinal boards J, K, should be very smooth and finished so that the persons may freely slide over their surfaces without undue friction or danger from splinters.

The water body D may be natural or artifcial, as found desirable or necessary, and where water is not available, the net D may be-relied upon as t-he receiving means of the projected passengers.

The passengers may mount the car at platform G and be elevated to the top of the railway at I where the car is switched on to the main track A.

In use, the passengers, attired in bathing suits, extend themselves in prostrate positions between the boards J, K, on the car. The use of the head or foot rest L M on the car is now apparent. If they so desire, the occupants may grasp the hood grips or handles N, which are so shaped that when the car is suddenly stopped they cannot retain their hold of the same and thus cause themselves injury. When ready, the car is started by an attendant on its downward path. It gains increasing velocity and when the end of the track is reached, the buffer engaging part O on the car engages the buffer C, putting its springs under compression. Thus the car is brought to a stop so suddenly that the occupants are projected through the air into the water beneath. The raised guide boards J, K, serve to guide the body of the center occupant along the line of travel of the car, but the outer occupants are guided away from the center line of the car and thus the danger of collision. loe

tween the bathers in the air or in the water is eliminated.

The car, relieved of its load, is impelled in reverse direction by the springs of the buffer C, and passes over the switch E on to the return track F, and reaches the starting platform G- where it is ready for another load.

As a further feature of my invention, I prefer to provide means along the railway A for spraying the occupants of the car with water before they yare projected into the water, and this may be accomplished by suitable spraying devices l), shown by way of example as spray pipes arranged along the track and preferably near the terminus thereof, so that the occupants of the car will be well soaked before being projected into the water. The particular means for spraying the car and passengers is not material, and any suitable means for i1nparting a preliminary wetting may be employed.

lllhile the passengers may lie prost-rate on the car platform with their heads or feet foremost as desired, l have arranged it preferably for the center passenger to lie with the head foremost while the side passengers may lie with feet foremost, but this arrangement is optional, with the occupants of the car. Furthermore, while the car is shown as adapted for three passengers, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself in this respect, as it may be arranged for any number desired.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a novel and useful construction which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while l have in the present instance shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof which is best suited to give satisfactory and reliable results in practice, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having now described my invention, what l, claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, .is:-

l. A gravity railway having an abrupt termination at its lower end, combined with a car capable of traversing said railway,

.means adjacent the termination of the railway for bringing the car while in full motion to a sudden stop to project its passen` gers into the air, means for returning the car to the upper end of the railway, and means immediately beyond the end of the railway for yieldingly receiving the projected passengers.

2. A gravity railway having an abrupt termination at its lower end, combined with a car capable of traversing said railway, means adjacent the termination of the railway for bringing the car while in full motion to a sudden stop to project its passengers into the air, means for returning the car to the upper end of the railway, and means immediately beyond the end of the railway for yieldingly receiving the projected passengers comprising a body of water and a net arranged in the water.

3. A gravity railway having an abrupt termination at its lower end, combined with a car capable of traversing said railway, means adjacent the termination of the railway for bringing the car while in full motion to a sudden stop to project its passengers into the air, means for returning'the car to the upper end of the railway, and a body of water immediately beyond the endl of the railway for yieldingly receiving the projected passengers.

4. A gravity railway having an abrupt termination at its lower end, combined with a car capable of traversing .said railway, means adjacent the termination of the railway for bringing the car while in full motion to a sudden stop to project its passengers into the air, means for returning the car to the upper end of the railway, and a stretched net immediately beyond the end of the railway for yieldingly receiving the projected passengers.

5. A gravity railway having an abrupt termination at its lower end, combined with a car capable of traversing said railway, means adjacent the termination of the railway ior bringing the car while in full motion to aV sudden stop to project its passengers into the air, means for spraying the car and its occupants with water before reaching the terminus of the railway, and means for returning the car to the upper end of the railway.

6. A gravity railway having an abrupt termination at its lower end, combined with a car capable of traversing said railway,

means adjacent the termination of the railway for bringing the car while in full motion to a sudden stop to project its passengers into the air, means for spraying the car and its occupants with water before reaching the terminus of the railway, means for returning the car to the upper end of the railway, and a body of water immediately beyond the end of the railway for yieldingly receiving the projected passengers.

7. A gravity railway having an abrupt termination at its lower end, combined with a return track and switch from said termination of the gravity railway to receive and return the cars, a car for said railway, a spring buffer device for vautomatically arresting the travel of the car on the gravity railway and reversing its motion for trans- :terring it on to the return track, and means beyond the end of the termination of the gravity railway to receive the passengers projected from the car.

8. A gravity railway having an abrupt termination at its lower end, combined with a return track and switch from said termination of the gravity railway to receive and return the cars, a car for said railway, a spring buffer device for automatically arresting the travel of the car on the gravity railway and reversing its mot-ion for transferring it on to the return track, a receiving platform at the terminus of the return track, an elevating track and cable for raising the carto the top of the gravity railway, and means beyond the end of the termination of the gravity railway to receive the passengers projected from the car.

9. In an apparatus of the character stated, a gravity railway terminating abruptly over a body of water, combined with a car for passengers arranged for said railway, and means for arresting the rapid travel of the car close to the termination of the railway to project the passengers from the car into the body of water.

l0. In an apparatus of the character stated, a gravity railway terminating abruptly over a body of water, combined with a car for passengers arranged for said railway, means for arresting the rapid travel of the car close to the termination of the railway to project the passengers from the car into the body of water, and means to return the car to the top of the gravity railway.

11. In an apparatus of the character stated, a gravity railway terminating abruptly, combined with a car having a smooth oor and guiding longitudinal boards for separating the passengers lying prostrate upon the floor, means for arresting the rapid travel of the car close to the termination of the railway for projecting the passengers from the car into the air, and means to yieldingly receive the passengers arranged beyond the abrupt termination of the railway.

l2. In an apparatus of the character stated, a gravity railway terminating abruptly, combined with a car having va smooth floor and guiding longitudinal boards for separating the passengers lying prostrate upon the floor and a transverse board at the rear of ythe floor and having" railway terminating wardly extending` board at tlie rear of tlie ear7 and also handles on the longitudinal guiding` boards, nieans for arresting the rapid travel of the car Close to the termination of the railway for projecting the passengers troni the ear into the air, and means to yielding'ly receive the passengers arranged beyond the abrupt termination of the rail way.

14. ln an. apparatus of the character stated, a gravity railway terminating abruptly, combined with a ear having a smooth tloor and guiding longitudinal boards l'or separating the passengers lying l5 prostiaie upon the lioor said boards coinprising two iniddle boards Haring apart at the forward end and Shorter boards at the sides7 ineans for arresting' the rapid travel of the ear close to tlie termination of the railway for projecting the passengers from the ear into the air, and means to yieldingly receive the pafssengers arranged beyond. the abrupt tern'iination of the railway.

ln testimony ot which invention, unto Set niy hand.

l llere- JOHN F. BURKE.

lVitnesses R. M. HUNTER, E. lV. SMirii.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

